Sunday, September 28, 2008
A Note of Disappointment
Was anyone else slightly dissatisfied with our discussion of The Book Thief? Just wondering......
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Journal Entry 3: The Book Thief (which I read by candle light due to the psychotic windstorm)
So who knew that Death had such a good sense of humor, or such a sensitive outlook on life (and death)? I LOVED this book. The manner in which it was written, with a very witty Death as narrator, really allowed me to experience the story from a unique angle. It is something that I think students would thoroughly enjoy, too. The only bad thing about Death as a narrator is that the reader discovers the fates of several key characters in advance, causing me to have to put down the book for awhile. For instance, when I found out about Rudy's imminent death I was devastated even before it transpired, and while I thought I had braced myself and prepared myself for the event I was still deeply touched.
This is a book that really made me love the characters, and the deaths of many of them, namely Hans Huberman, really shook me up. When I first finished the book I was miserable- heartbroken, really- I hate books that leave me feeling so depressed. After a few days had passed I started thinking about the book more, though, and I have decided that life, like the book, is not always pretty, and this is a prime example of how literature can be used to generate some serious and productive discussion in the classroom. There is room for discussion about the historical aspect of the text, as well as the severely human experience in the text. I think it is critical to realize the extent to which Liesel Meminger was touched by the state of affairs in Germany, and also to think about how a nation can get to that point. There is a section in the book (and had I been able to see properly I am sure I would have highlighted it!) where Death is talking about how wars can bring out the best and the worst in people, and I think that is an interesting observation that has plenty of room for exploration. Wilhelm talks about storying as defining humanity, and this novel is a supreme example of that.
Also, I loved the way that Hans taught Leisel to read. The fact that her love of reading comes from a need to cope with some sort of trauma speaks volumes about the power of literature. Liesel learns to cope with her nightmares through reading. This is illustrated again when all of Himmel Street gathers in a basement during air raids, and Liesel reads to the group. Her reading has a cathartic and calming effect on the group, even while they seek shelter from the possible destruction above them, in fact from death itself. Love is also illustrated to Liesel through the act of reading in the form of Max Vandenburg and his book for Liesel (and how appropriate is it that his words and story of love is literally written over the words of Mein Kampf at a time when love and humanity are taking place despite the reign of Hitler?????).
Reading is an escape for Liesel, and reading literally saves her life in the end of the book, because she is only saved from the destruction by reading and writing in the basement where Max once sought refuge.And the idea of a book thief intrigues me, because Liesel isn't merely stealing a book or some words; rather, she is stealing happiness and refuge at a time when both were sparse, and I find that to be such a lovely notion.
Another, thought, and this may be entirely unrelated, are the colors that Death mentions in the very beginning. Each time that Death spies Liesel Meminger he sees a color. Spotting her three times he sees first white, then black, and finally red. This stood out to me for several reasons. First and most obvious could be the fact that those three colors come together to comprise the flag of Nazi Germany. And so perhaps this is not just the experience of Liesel Meminger in Nazi Germany, but the collective experience of Nazi Germany itself. The death and destruction, the love coupled with the hate: these are certainly found in Liesel's life, but could her experience be indicative of the country's experience, as well? Secondly, and this may be a little farther off the beaten path, those three colors are traditionally associated with death. I kept thinking about this one passage from the myth about Deirdre and the Sons of Usiliu (either Irish or Welsh mythology, I can't recall) when Deirdre sees a black bird eating a carcass on the snow and she talks about how she could love a man with those three colors; black, red, and white. Throughout the myths there are references about these colors in relation to death, so that was just something that was in the back of my mind when reading this book.
This is a book that really made me love the characters, and the deaths of many of them, namely Hans Huberman, really shook me up. When I first finished the book I was miserable- heartbroken, really- I hate books that leave me feeling so depressed. After a few days had passed I started thinking about the book more, though, and I have decided that life, like the book, is not always pretty, and this is a prime example of how literature can be used to generate some serious and productive discussion in the classroom. There is room for discussion about the historical aspect of the text, as well as the severely human experience in the text. I think it is critical to realize the extent to which Liesel Meminger was touched by the state of affairs in Germany, and also to think about how a nation can get to that point. There is a section in the book (and had I been able to see properly I am sure I would have highlighted it!) where Death is talking about how wars can bring out the best and the worst in people, and I think that is an interesting observation that has plenty of room for exploration. Wilhelm talks about storying as defining humanity, and this novel is a supreme example of that.
Also, I loved the way that Hans taught Leisel to read. The fact that her love of reading comes from a need to cope with some sort of trauma speaks volumes about the power of literature. Liesel learns to cope with her nightmares through reading. This is illustrated again when all of Himmel Street gathers in a basement during air raids, and Liesel reads to the group. Her reading has a cathartic and calming effect on the group, even while they seek shelter from the possible destruction above them, in fact from death itself. Love is also illustrated to Liesel through the act of reading in the form of Max Vandenburg and his book for Liesel (and how appropriate is it that his words and story of love is literally written over the words of Mein Kampf at a time when love and humanity are taking place despite the reign of Hitler?????).
Reading is an escape for Liesel, and reading literally saves her life in the end of the book, because she is only saved from the destruction by reading and writing in the basement where Max once sought refuge.And the idea of a book thief intrigues me, because Liesel isn't merely stealing a book or some words; rather, she is stealing happiness and refuge at a time when both were sparse, and I find that to be such a lovely notion.
Another, thought, and this may be entirely unrelated, are the colors that Death mentions in the very beginning. Each time that Death spies Liesel Meminger he sees a color. Spotting her three times he sees first white, then black, and finally red. This stood out to me for several reasons. First and most obvious could be the fact that those three colors come together to comprise the flag of Nazi Germany. And so perhaps this is not just the experience of Liesel Meminger in Nazi Germany, but the collective experience of Nazi Germany itself. The death and destruction, the love coupled with the hate: these are certainly found in Liesel's life, but could her experience be indicative of the country's experience, as well? Secondly, and this may be a little farther off the beaten path, those three colors are traditionally associated with death. I kept thinking about this one passage from the myth about Deirdre and the Sons of Usiliu (either Irish or Welsh mythology, I can't recall) when Deirdre sees a black bird eating a carcass on the snow and she talks about how she could love a man with those three colors; black, red, and white. Throughout the myths there are references about these colors in relation to death, so that was just something that was in the back of my mind when reading this book.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Journal Entry 2: Because school is supposed to help you live better, right?
My sentiments precisely, Ron. While reading this book (which I think is slowly becoming my new Bible of teaching) I have been highlighting and writing in my own comments, which is my usual habit. However, I am finding that my pen and highlighter work in overdrive when scouring the pages of You Gotta BE the Book. Everything that Wilhelm asserts about teaching adolescents is typically accompanied by a few strokes my trusty highlighter along with a few hastily scrawled exclamation points from my pen. I know that these journal entries are supposed to be objective, and while I am attempting to focus on the text, my attempt may look much more like gushing approval than anything remotely resembling objective... but I will try.
I love so much of what Wilhelm says about the importance of teaching adolescents the importance of reading, but also the importance of reading for pleasure. So though I admit that what follows may indeed sound like 'gushing,' I do realize that theory alone is not enough... I think it is a good jumping off point and a good way for me to being thinking about how I will handle this situation in my future classroom, but I also recognize the importance of thinking about real life applications of theory. A theory with great internal validity means absolutely nothing to me if there is little or no external validity. Perhaps practice is nothing without theory and theory is nothing with practice... just a theory, of course...
The first phrase that is highlighted in a lovely shade of neon green can be found on page 33. It reads, "We must remember that the ways in which we mediate literature with students will have a profound effect on the kinds of readers they will become." This can only be too true. While working the other day (at Feeder's) I listened as one of my coworkers (a high school student in Jefferson County) whined about doing her portfolio requirement. When I asked her why she was having so much difficulty, she blamed the teacher. Now, most teens, when asked about a problem (particularly in the academic realm), will tend to blame someone else. But this is a girl who allowed me to read her papers last year, a girl who wrote beautifully and effectively, and who typically enjoyed the process. So how did an activity, that she is usually intrinsically motivated to perform, become such a chip on her shoulder? I delved a little deeper into the situation and discovered that the teacher insists on practices which include, but are not limited to: endless grammar work sheets, round robin reading (GASP!), and an array of other mind numbing exercises which are doing absolutely nil to help the students grow into good readers and writers.
Which leads me to my next point, which is actually an utterance from the lips of Ron, a student whom Wilhelm has identified as an engaged reader. (A small side note: I like the fact that the term engaged reader is used as opposed to gifted reader. I think sometimes students who are struggling with reading and self-esteem can be intimidated and turned off by the term gifted. When we value the level of engagement instead of how gifted the reader is, the obstacle or burden of reading can seem much less.... again, just some food for thought...) Ron states that the purpose of school is to help students live better lives, in and out of the classroom. So if I, as an educator, am supposed to help my students live fulfilled and enriched lives, literature seems to me the most appropriate tool to do this. Literature has the unique ability to allow us to leave our own lives, if only for awhile, and walk around in someone else's skin. My prospective students (high school age) will be using formal operational thinking, and hypothetical deductive reasoning. If I can encourage and foster this line of thinking through the use of literature, not only am I exercising my student intellectual capacities, but I am valuing the human experience as well. Literature can allow us to see the world from a different perspective, and to learn about past and present events. Wilhelm identifies this quality in engaged readers as, "imaginative rehearsal for living."
Perhaps, and it is my greatest hope that I can help my students see this, Wilhelm best expresses the power of literature on page 38: "Storying defines humanity, makes us human, empowers us in being who we are, and makes it possible for us to conceive of being more than we are."
I love so much of what Wilhelm says about the importance of teaching adolescents the importance of reading, but also the importance of reading for pleasure. So though I admit that what follows may indeed sound like 'gushing,' I do realize that theory alone is not enough... I think it is a good jumping off point and a good way for me to being thinking about how I will handle this situation in my future classroom, but I also recognize the importance of thinking about real life applications of theory. A theory with great internal validity means absolutely nothing to me if there is little or no external validity. Perhaps practice is nothing without theory and theory is nothing with practice... just a theory, of course...
The first phrase that is highlighted in a lovely shade of neon green can be found on page 33. It reads, "We must remember that the ways in which we mediate literature with students will have a profound effect on the kinds of readers they will become." This can only be too true. While working the other day (at Feeder's) I listened as one of my coworkers (a high school student in Jefferson County) whined about doing her portfolio requirement. When I asked her why she was having so much difficulty, she blamed the teacher. Now, most teens, when asked about a problem (particularly in the academic realm), will tend to blame someone else. But this is a girl who allowed me to read her papers last year, a girl who wrote beautifully and effectively, and who typically enjoyed the process. So how did an activity, that she is usually intrinsically motivated to perform, become such a chip on her shoulder? I delved a little deeper into the situation and discovered that the teacher insists on practices which include, but are not limited to: endless grammar work sheets, round robin reading (GASP!), and an array of other mind numbing exercises which are doing absolutely nil to help the students grow into good readers and writers.
Which leads me to my next point, which is actually an utterance from the lips of Ron, a student whom Wilhelm has identified as an engaged reader. (A small side note: I like the fact that the term engaged reader is used as opposed to gifted reader. I think sometimes students who are struggling with reading and self-esteem can be intimidated and turned off by the term gifted. When we value the level of engagement instead of how gifted the reader is, the obstacle or burden of reading can seem much less.... again, just some food for thought...) Ron states that the purpose of school is to help students live better lives, in and out of the classroom. So if I, as an educator, am supposed to help my students live fulfilled and enriched lives, literature seems to me the most appropriate tool to do this. Literature has the unique ability to allow us to leave our own lives, if only for awhile, and walk around in someone else's skin. My prospective students (high school age) will be using formal operational thinking, and hypothetical deductive reasoning. If I can encourage and foster this line of thinking through the use of literature, not only am I exercising my student intellectual capacities, but I am valuing the human experience as well. Literature can allow us to see the world from a different perspective, and to learn about past and present events. Wilhelm identifies this quality in engaged readers as, "imaginative rehearsal for living."
Perhaps, and it is my greatest hope that I can help my students see this, Wilhelm best expresses the power of literature on page 38: "Storying defines humanity, makes us human, empowers us in being who we are, and makes it possible for us to conceive of being more than we are."
Monday, September 15, 2008
Journal Entry 1: Part II
So I didn't quite speeze everything that I wanted to say into my first blog, hence the Part II. Now that I am off that particular soapbox, perhaps it is time to start in on a new one. One of my biggest fears about teaching is that the way in which I teach will irrevocably traumatize my students learning experience. It is as if this fear has become my mantra- I find myself constantly questioning how something (a theory, a technique, a philosophy) will effect my students. This fear has consumed me, in a good way... I think...
So then when we read about round robin reading and some of the negative effects that oral reading can have on students IF not instituted correctly, it got me thinking even more about the ways in which teachers choose to involve their students in their learning, and how sometimes the methods can be more of a hindrance to a childs learning than we think. Also, and maybe this is something that only makes sense in the recesses of my own psychotic head, but I think sometimes teachers get so hung up on educating students that they forget about the importance of learning. Not that teachers are entirely to blame for this epidemic- the entire school system is set up on the premise that students need to meet certain standards, attain certain scores. And of course this influences and informs not only the cirriculum, but also the method(s) of teaching the cirriculum. So sometimes teachers are forced to focus on the product of education instead of the process of education.
Naturally, following that train of thought, I connected with Wilhelm and what he was saying in chapter 1. On page 20 he states, "Texts themselves are not intrinsically literary or nonliterary; the stance taken toward a text makes the reading aesthetic or efferent." The ways in which teachers choose to assess a given subject, in this case reading, can truly inform the manner by which students go about completing the task, but it can have even bigger repercussions: it can inform their learning. Hence my fear about screwing up my students. Wilhelm mentioned many other things that I liked as well... I like what he says about a book being a promise, and the experience for the reader is the fulfilment of that promise. I just thought that was so beautiful because that's exactly how I feel about reading. However, it's not good enough for me to feel that way about reading- I want to know how I can get my students to that threshold as well. This is something that I do not have the answer to now, and though I hope to be much better informed and equipped upon graduation, I know that whatever I think I know about teaching will be challenged time and time again once I actually begin to teach. I still want to be as prepared as possible though, which is why I am looking forward to reading more of what Wilhelm has to say.
So then when we read about round robin reading and some of the negative effects that oral reading can have on students IF not instituted correctly, it got me thinking even more about the ways in which teachers choose to involve their students in their learning, and how sometimes the methods can be more of a hindrance to a childs learning than we think. Also, and maybe this is something that only makes sense in the recesses of my own psychotic head, but I think sometimes teachers get so hung up on educating students that they forget about the importance of learning. Not that teachers are entirely to blame for this epidemic- the entire school system is set up on the premise that students need to meet certain standards, attain certain scores. And of course this influences and informs not only the cirriculum, but also the method(s) of teaching the cirriculum. So sometimes teachers are forced to focus on the product of education instead of the process of education.
Naturally, following that train of thought, I connected with Wilhelm and what he was saying in chapter 1. On page 20 he states, "Texts themselves are not intrinsically literary or nonliterary; the stance taken toward a text makes the reading aesthetic or efferent." The ways in which teachers choose to assess a given subject, in this case reading, can truly inform the manner by which students go about completing the task, but it can have even bigger repercussions: it can inform their learning. Hence my fear about screwing up my students. Wilhelm mentioned many other things that I liked as well... I like what he says about a book being a promise, and the experience for the reader is the fulfilment of that promise. I just thought that was so beautiful because that's exactly how I feel about reading. However, it's not good enough for me to feel that way about reading- I want to know how I can get my students to that threshold as well. This is something that I do not have the answer to now, and though I hope to be much better informed and equipped upon graduation, I know that whatever I think I know about teaching will be challenged time and time again once I actually begin to teach. I still want to be as prepared as possible though, which is why I am looking forward to reading more of what Wilhelm has to say.
Journal Entry 1: Excitement about reading- reservations about technology
First and foremost, I must admit that this whole blogger thing has me a little confused... well, confused is not the best word for how I am feeling because I have indeed seemingly conquered this technology thing for the moment... I am not so much confused as I am hesitant, I suppose. Nonetheless, the technology has been properly harnessed (for the time being!) and I am ready to begin my very first blogging experience. Although I am slightly hesitant about keeping a journal online (I am an avid writer and have mounds of journals at home, some of which I am sure I must burn at some point due to their incriminating content, lest the men in little white coats come looking for me) I think it is an experience which I will thoroughly enjoy.
I would like to begin by writing about the first book that I selected to share with the class. Sloppy Firsts was SUCH an enjoyable read. I am the type of person that reads the same book over and over, always finding something new, and I am sure that this is a book which I will one day pick up, dust off, and enjoy it as much the second time around as I did the first. Though I enjoyed the book immensely and found myself chuckling on more than one occasion, I am attempting to think with my teacher hat on, so to speak. I need to make an effort to think about things beyond the here and now and truly examine the possible implications of my learning and teaching style in my future classroom. So while this is a book that I obviously liked, is it something that I could keep in my classroom and recommend to my students?
Though this does not seem like a complex question (surely it could be answered with a simple yes or no....?) the answer is indeed much more obscure. As someone planning on teaching at a middle or high school level, my hypothetical students will hypothetically be dealing with some of the same issues as the protagonist in the novel... the question of whether or not this novel would be appropriate for them to read would depend upon how the novel resolves some of the issues, such as drugs and sex and peer pressure, and how I as an educator present the novel. I feel that while the novel does present the reader with some sticky situations and graphic language, perhaps it can reach out more effectively to the students. The story isn't watered down at all, instead it presents a world that (whether we like it or not) our students are familiar with... and I think that this novel would be a great conversation starter- it would be a wonderful jumping off place for some generative discussion and thought. And while it may make some people uncomfortable, perhaps it is necessary. Take a look at sex education: abstinence only programs don't educate teens about the dangers of unsafe sex, and what good is that when we know that they're GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY? Because they're teens, and that's just what teens do. So to me, it makes much more sense to be open about these issues and talk with our students and educate them, because at the end of the day that is what is most important. I want my students to feel like my classroom is open for discussion, and I am not going to live in lala land and pretend that my students are little angels who don't have the tiniest inkling about "real world" problems.
I would like to begin by writing about the first book that I selected to share with the class. Sloppy Firsts was SUCH an enjoyable read. I am the type of person that reads the same book over and over, always finding something new, and I am sure that this is a book which I will one day pick up, dust off, and enjoy it as much the second time around as I did the first. Though I enjoyed the book immensely and found myself chuckling on more than one occasion, I am attempting to think with my teacher hat on, so to speak. I need to make an effort to think about things beyond the here and now and truly examine the possible implications of my learning and teaching style in my future classroom. So while this is a book that I obviously liked, is it something that I could keep in my classroom and recommend to my students?
Though this does not seem like a complex question (surely it could be answered with a simple yes or no....?) the answer is indeed much more obscure. As someone planning on teaching at a middle or high school level, my hypothetical students will hypothetically be dealing with some of the same issues as the protagonist in the novel... the question of whether or not this novel would be appropriate for them to read would depend upon how the novel resolves some of the issues, such as drugs and sex and peer pressure, and how I as an educator present the novel. I feel that while the novel does present the reader with some sticky situations and graphic language, perhaps it can reach out more effectively to the students. The story isn't watered down at all, instead it presents a world that (whether we like it or not) our students are familiar with... and I think that this novel would be a great conversation starter- it would be a wonderful jumping off place for some generative discussion and thought. And while it may make some people uncomfortable, perhaps it is necessary. Take a look at sex education: abstinence only programs don't educate teens about the dangers of unsafe sex, and what good is that when we know that they're GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY? Because they're teens, and that's just what teens do. So to me, it makes much more sense to be open about these issues and talk with our students and educate them, because at the end of the day that is what is most important. I want my students to feel like my classroom is open for discussion, and I am not going to live in lala land and pretend that my students are little angels who don't have the tiniest inkling about "real world" problems.
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